Door machine



Oct. 27, 1942. Q y. MolNTlRE 2,299,916

DooR MACHINE' Filed Aug. 2, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 2 BY` i ATTORNEY Oct.'27, 1942. c. v. MclN'rlRE DOOR MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 oct.- 27, 1942;

c. v. McxNrlRE 2,299,916

DooR MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 y 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1942 cuir smits rarest 'rs-ics 2,299,916

. DUUR MACHINE charles V. Mamme, shari Huis, N. J., assignof to Seniat-Solvay Engineering Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 2, 19d-ll, Serial N o. 349,805

l1 Claims.

`The present invention relates to door machinery, and particularly to an apparatus for operating self-sealing doors or horizontal coke OVSDS.

As used with horizontal coke ovens, self-seal* ing doors comprise a refractory plug projecting into the coking chamber and a metal sealing member at the outer side of the plug which is pressed into contact with the metal surface of the door frame of thechamber when the door is in place to seal the door opening. During the course ofY a. coking period some of the volatile materials in th-e coal pass between the refractory plug and the walls of the coking chamber and form al'cake or deposit on the relatively cool surface of the sealing member anddoor frame. Such deposits interfere withv the reforming of a satisfactory seal between the sealing member and the door frame when the oven door is replaced after removal to permit pushing of the coke charge and it is now customary procedure to remove the deposits by scraping bo-th sealing member and door frame manually each time the door is removed from the; oven mouth.

Coke oven doors are removed to permit pushing and are replaced by door handling machines mounted for movement on tracks along the face of a coke oven battery'.` In the usual construction the tracks are so `placed that there is very little clearance between the door machine and the buckstays of the coke oven. Due to the proximity ci the door machine to the face of the battery it has been `very awkward to clean the door, since the chassis of the door machine is in a position which interferes with the movement of the door away from the oven and which prevents turning the door to a position in which it can be cleaned more easily. In an attempt to escape this diiculty a complicated machine has been proposed which withdraws the door horizontally into `a recess in the chassis, then raises it and slues it around horizontally ninety degrees to permit cleaning of the door.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a coke oven door machine` of simple coning member so that a door may be'removed simultaneously upwardly and outwardly from the #f battery parallel to the length of the battery, and

a door carrier provided with a door engaging hook and supportedl for rotation about a ver' tical axis in vertically spaced swivel bearings carried by the support. The door carrier and bearings are so mounted that the bearings and carrier may be moved as a unit to bring thel door engaging hook into engagement with a door at the mouth of a coking chamber, and then moved, with the door held by the hook, to a position above the platform. Thereafter the carrier may be rotated about its vertical axisY to a position` in which the door is readily accessible for cleaning. To replace the door, the above operations are reversed. f

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing for purposesof exemplification a preferred apparatus in which 'f the invention may be embodied and practiced but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrativel instance',` v' i Figure l isa vertical section of a coke oven door machine embodying the main,` features of the present invention, taken alongthe line I--I of' Figure 2, showing the machine in positionr on the operating bench of a battery of horizontal coke ovens and in front of a self-sealing door which is in sealing Contact with the door frame at the mouth of the coking chamber, the door lever and latch operating and releasing udevices of the machine being shown in engagement with the oven door;

Figure 2 is a section taken along. the line II-II of Figure 3;

\ Figure 3 is a section taken along the line III- III of Figure 2; i

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken similarly to Figure 3 showing the mouth of the coking chamber, but showing the door .swung from the mouth of the coking chamber of the arrows V, V, showing the door in position at the mouth of the coking chamber and showing the arrangement of the latch operating means of the door machine.

In Figure 1 there is shown in vertical section a door machine I positioned at one end of a horizontal coking chamber 2 forming one of a series of laterally adjacent chambers of a coke oven battery, a door frame 3 at the mouth of the chamber 2, and a self-sealing door 4 comprising a refractory plug 5 and a metal member 6 cooperating with the door frame 3 at the mouth of the chamber. The door 4 (see also Figure 8) is supported in sealing relation to thefcoking chamber' by latch bars 1 rotatably mounted on the door 4 on spindles 8 which are formed with squared heads and with threaded portions 9 cooperating wth threaded brackets I on the door so that the bars can be moved perpendicularly of the door by turning the spindles 8. Door frame 3 at the mouth of the coking chamber 2 is tted with hooks II which are adapted to engage the latch bars 1 when they are rotated to the horizontal position. By turning the spindles 8 in one direction the latch bars 1 can be forced away from the door 4 and pressed against the hooks I I to hold the door tightly against the door frame. By turning the spindles in the other direction the pressure is released and the latch bars 1 may be rotated out of engagement with the hooks II to ypermit removal of the door. The door 4 is provided with a hook I2 by which it is lifted by door machine I and with a boss I3 which cooperates with a bumper |39 on the door machine to hold the door erect during manipulation.

Door machine I, shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, comprises a platform I4 mounted on flanged wheels I (turned by an electric motor, not shown) for movement on tracks I6 along the coke bench parallel to the face of the battery, and a framework I1 and pedestal I8 fixed to the platform I4. A door carrier I9 is mounted in vertically spaced crank arms 20 and 2I pivotally connected respectively to framework I1 and pedestal I8. The supporting framework I1 comprises uprights 22 and horizontal beams 23, 24, 25 and 26 at the top thereof. The framework is braced againstv distortion by suitable truss members 21 and 28,. crank arms 29 is supported in horizontal position parallel to the face of the battery by bearings 39 mounted on the horizontal beams 24, 25 and 26 of the framework. A swivel bearing 3| (shown in detail in Figure 5) is supported by trunnions 32 which are parallel to the shaft 29 and are journaled in bearings 33 at the lower ends of the arms 20. A second rotatable shaft 34, to which is fixed crank arm 2| having a length substantially equal to crank arms 20, is supported f parallel to and beneath shaft 29 by bearings 35 on pedestal I8 which is fixed to the platform I4. Swivel bearing 36 is supported by a projecting shaft 31 which is parallel to shaft 34 and is journaled in bearing 38 inthe lower end of arm 2l. The shaft 31 is held against displacement from the bearing 38 by a washer and nut 39 secured to a threaded portion 40 of the shaft.

The door carrier I9 is provided at its lower end with a pintle 4I which 'is journaled in swivel bearing 36 supported at the end of arm 2|, and at its upper end, with a pintle 42 which is journaled in swivel bearing 3I supported at the end of arm 20. As shown in Figure 5, pintlev 42 is held against displacement from the bearing 3| A rotatable shaft 29 to which are fixed u by washer and nut 43 in threaded engagement with a threaded portion 44 of the pintle 42.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, crank arm 45, fixed to shaft 29 and crank arm 46, of length equal to arm 45 and fixed to shaft 34, are connected at their ends by link 41. Link 41 is provided with a turnbuckle 41a and is adjusted to a length substantially equal to the distance between shafts 29 and 34. This crank arm and link connection between the shafts 29 and 34 insures that rotation of either arms 20 or arm ZI will cause arms 20 and 2l to rotate in unison, and the distance between the respective ends of the arms 20 and 2l will be maintained constant to hold the door carrier I 9 rmly erect in vertical position. To effect rotation of the arms 20 and 2|, a motor and speed-reducer assembly 48 is provided which operates a lever 49 which drives shaft 29 through link 50 andv crank arm 45 on shaft 29. By operation of the motor in one direction the arms 20 and 2I can be moved toa `downwardly pointing position (as shown in full lines in Figure 1) in which the door hook (hereinafter described) on carrier I9 will engage the door; and by operation of the motor in the other direction the arms can be swung to a substantially horizontal position (as shown in broken lines in Figure 1) pointing away from the coking chamber to move the door carrier I9 and door 4 above the platform I4. Spring mechanism 5I is provided in the link 59 to provide a cushioning effect to prevent injury to the machine or to the coke oven parts during operation.

Motor and speed-reducer assembly 52 mounted on lug 53 fixed to the swivel bearing 3I drives lever 54 which is connected throughllink 55 to a pin 55 fixed to and located eccentrically ofthe axis of door-carrier I9. When the door carrier I9 has been swung to a position above the platform I4, as previously described, the motor 52 is operated and the door carrier I9 and door 4 are rotated ninety degrees about a vertical axis defined by the pintles 4I and 42 from the position shown in broken lines to the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 in which the door is readily accessible for cleaning.

Mounted on the carrier I9 and positioned to cooperate with spindles 8 on the door 4 when the carrier I9 is in the position shown in Figure 1, are two latch tightening and releasing devices 51 (see Figures 6 and 7), one for each of the top and bottom latches shown in Figure 8. Both devices are of the same design. Each of these devices comprises a motor and speed-reducer assembly 58 equipped with a torque-limiting control and connected to drive shaft; 59 which is surrounded by a housing 60 and which extends through openings 6I in carrier I9. To the end of shaft 59 is fixed a Wrench member 62 which cooperates with the squared ends ofspindles 8 to rotate them to eifect a loosening or tightening of the latch bars. As shown inrFigures 6 and '1, themotor and speed-reducer assembly 58 is fitted With cross arms 63 and 64, of which oppositely disposed arms 63 are disposed in slots of a bracket 66 on carrier I9 and the other two arms 64 of which are disposed with their ends bent to bear against the carrierI9 A spring 61, with one end against a projection 68 on the housing 60 of shaft 59 and with' the other end against an inner wall of the carrier I9, presses the cross-arms against the base ofthe Slots 65 and against carrier I9 respectivelyto hold the motor and shaft perpendicularto the carrier I9 until the wrench member 62 engages 'the spindle and then permitsa deflection of the wrench, shaft and motor to allow for possible misalignment of the spindle 8 and machine I.

Referring to Figures 1 and 8, door hook lever 69 is pivotally mounted at l0 on the carrier I9 and is actuated through link connections 'II and cranks 'l2 driven by a motor and speed-reducer assembly 13, also mounted on the carrier I9. Attached to the door hooklever 69 and moved thereby is an arm 14, which is operatively connected to the link 'l5 by the opposed springs lf3, to actuate the top and bottom latch operating members 'l1 through the lever "I3, link 19 and connecting link 80 when the door hook lever @El is operated to engage the door hook I2. 6 and 8, each latch operating member 'il comprises an arm 8| pivoted on the housing @il of 'the latch tightening and releasing device El. YThe top and bottom latch operating members ll, as shown in Figure 8, are connected for rotation in unison by the connecting link 80.. The arms 5I are provided with fingers 82 (Figure 6), one to engage and move each latch bar in a clock-wise direction and another to engage and move each latch bar in a counter-clockwise direction to ro- L tate them to latched or unlatched positions when the latch operating members TI are moved.

Operation of the machine is as follows: The machine with carrier IQ raised above the platform I4 is moved along track I to a position in front of the door 4 to be removed. Motor 48 is then operated to rotate the arms E@ and ZI downwardly to move the carrier la into the position shown in full lines in Figure l. When the door carrier is in this position, wrench portions 62 of the latch tightening and releasing devices 5l are in operative engagement with the spindles 8 and the motors 5t are activated to turn the wrenches and spindles to `release pressure on'the latch bars l. Motor I3 is then operated to move l door lever 69 into contact with the door hook Ii?. Movement of the door lever lie activates latch operating members 'il to rotate latch bars l to the unlatched position prior to contact between door lever 69 and the door hook I2. When connection between the door lever and the door hook is established and the door is rmly'held on the carrier I9, motor 48 is operated to rotate the crank arms 2i! and 2! about ninety degrees to swing the carrier I9 and door i to a position above the platform I4 of the machine. The motor 52 is then operated to move lever 5d and link 55 to rotate the door carrier I9 about a vertical axis to a position, which may be about ninety degrees from the original position, in

which the door i and sealing member 6 are readily accessible for cleaning.

When the door is to be replaced, the above operations are reversed.

My apparatus has been found thoroughly satisfactory for the handling of coke oven doors to remove them from position at the mouth of a coking chamber to permit pushing of the coke and to bring them to a position where they are accessible for cleaning. apparatus involves a minimum of sliding friction and is of simple and rugged construction.

Itis to be understood that this invention is not restricted to the present disclosure otherwise than as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

14. A door handling machine comprising in combination supporting means, a carrier rotatably mounted on the supporting means, door engaging means on the carrier,`means for mov- As shown in Figures i The operation of the i.;

ing the 'supporting' `means and carrier in an arcuate path from a position in which the door engaging means engages a door in closing position, upwardly and outwardly away from said closing position, and means for rotating said carrier and door when moved into the upward and outward position.

2.?A door handling machine comprising in combination a support, arms pivotally mounted on the support, for rotary movement about a horizontal axis, a door carrier mounted in said arms for rotary movement about a vertical axis, means to vmove the arms to move the carrier into position to engage a door and move the door upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path, and means to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

3. Apparatus for removing a door from the mouth of acoking chamber which comprises a support, a pair of vertically spaced arms pivotally connected at their upper ends to the support, a door carrier pivotally connected to the lower ends or the arms, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier into position so that the hook engages the door and* also operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path from the mouth of the" coking chamber, and means to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

4. Apparatus for removing a door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a platform, a support fixed to the platform, a pair of vertically spaced arms pivctally connected at their upperends to the support, a door carrier pivctally connected to the lower ends of the arms, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means to rotate the arms to move the carrier into position to have the hook engage a door at the mouth of a coking chamber and also operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path to a position above the platform, and means to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

5. Apparatus for removing a door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a platform movable along the face of a battery-of ovens, a support fixed to the platform, a pair of vertically spaced arms of equal length pivotally connected at their upper ends to the support, a door carrier pivotally connected to the lower ends of the arms, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means operable to rotate the arms in unison to move the carrier into position to have the hook engage a door at the mouth of a coking chamber, and to rotate the arms in a reverse direction to move the carrier away from the mouth of the coking chamber upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path to a position above the platform, and means to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

6. Apparatus for removing a door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a platform, a framework and a pedestal xed to the platform, a pair of vertically spaced arms of equal length pivotally connected at their upper ends, one to the framework and the other to the pedestal, a door carrier pivotally connected to the lower ends of the arms, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means operable to rotate the crank arms in unison in one direction to move the carrier into position to have the hook engage the door at the mouth of the coking chamber, and to rotate the arms in a reverse direction to move the carrier away from the mouth of the coking chamber upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path to a'position above the platform, and means to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

7. Apparatus for releasing and removing a door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a platform mounted for movement parallel to the face of a battery of ovens, a framework and a pedestal ixed to the platform, a pair of vertically spaced crank arms of equal length pivotally connected, one to the framework and the other to the pedestal, for rotation about horizontal axes parallel to the face of the battery, bearings carried at the ends of the crank arms, a carrier supported in vertical position by the bearings and rotatable about a vertical axis, means mounted on the carrier to release the fastenings` of a coke oven door, hook means also mounted on the carrier to engage and support the door, means to rotate the crank arms in unison to move the carrier towards the door at'the mouth of the coking chamber to a position in which the means to release the fastenings engage the fastenings and the hook means engage the door, and also operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier and door upwardly and outwardly away from the mouth of the chamber to a position above the platform, and means to rotate the carrier and door about a vertical axis to a position in which the door is accessible for cleaning.

8. Apparatus for removing a coke oven door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a support, vertically spaced arms pivotally connected at their upper ends to the support for rotation about horizontal` axes which are parallel to the face of the coke oven, horizontal shafts parallel to the face of the oven journaled in the lower ends of the arms, vertical swivel bearings carried by the shafts, a door carrier mounted for rotation about a vertical axis in the swivel bearings, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier into position so that the hook engages a door at the mouth of a coking chamber, and also operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path away from the coking chamber, and means supported by one of the horizontal shafts to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

9. Apparatus for removing a coke oven door I from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a support, vertically spaced arms pivotally connected at their upper ends to the support for rotation about horizontal axes which are parallel to the face of the coke oven, horizontal shafts parallel to the face of the oven journaled in the lower ends of the arms, vertical swivel bearings carried by the shafts, a motor supported by one of the shafts and held thereby against rotation about a vertical axis, a door carrier mounted on the swivel bearings for rotation about a vertical axis, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier into position to have the hook engage the door at the mouth of the coking chamber, and also operable to rotate the arms to move the carrier upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path away from the coking chamber, and link means operative between the motor and a point eccentric of the door carrier to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

10. Apparatus for removing a coke oven door from the mouth of a coking chamber which comprises a platform mounted for movement along the face of a battery of coke ovens, a support xed to the platform, horizontal vertically spaced shafts rotatably mounted on the support, arms of equal length xed at their upper ends to the shafts, vertical swivel bearings supported by trunnions journaled in the lower ends of the arms, a door carrier mounted for rotation about a vertical axis in the swivel bearings, a door engaging hook on said carrier, link means operable to rotate the horizontal shafts in unison to move the arms and swing the door carrier into positionto have the hook engage the door at the mouth of the coking chamber and also to move the carrier upwardly and outwardly in an arcuate path away from the coking chamber, a motor fixed to the exterior of one of the vertical swivel bearings, a lever moved by said motor, and link means operative between the lever and a point eccentric of the door carrier to rotate the carrier about a vertical axis.

11. Coke oven apparatus comprising a series of coking chambers forming a coke oven battery, doors at the mouths of the coking chambers, a platform mounted for movement along the face of the battery, a support fixed to the platform, a pair of vertically spaced crank arms of equal length pivotally connected at their upper ends to the support for rotation about horizontal axes parallel to the face of the battery, a door carrier pivotally connected to the lower ends of the crank arms and rotatable about a vertical axis, a door engaging hook on said carrier, means on the carrier to release the fastenings of a coke oven door, link means operable to rotate the crank arms in unison to move the carrier into position in which the means to release the fastenings of the door engage the fastenings and the door engaging hook engages the door, and also operable to rotate the arms in the reverse direction to move the carrier and door upwardly and outwardly from the mouth of the chamber to a position above the platform, and means to rotate the door about a vertical axis to a position substantially ninety degrees from its position at the mouth of the chamber.

CHARLES V. MCINTIRE. 

